Almost half of child mental health patients need adult specialist care
A long-term study from the University of Edinburgh reveals that nearly half of children who receive mental health services in Scotland continue to require psychiatric care as adults. The findings suggest that childhood mental health issues often persist into adulthood, accounting for a large portion of adult psychiatric hospitalizations.
Why it matters
This research highlights the critical need for better long-term tracking and support systems for children in mental health care to improve adult outcomes.
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Alexander Pol
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Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Four in 10 children who attend Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Scotland go on to attend specialist psychiatric services as adults, according to new research. This figure increases for teenagers, with half of those attending CAMHS as teens going on to access adult mental health services by their early 30s—far more than previous research has suggested.
The findings shed light on the often severe mental health burden experienced by children who come to CAMHS and highlight the need for a better understanding of the long-term impact of childhood treatments, experts say.
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